Pages

Friday, November 23, 2012

He put Himself in our hands

Judas guides the soldiers - A. Bida

TODAY'S SPECIAL:John 18:1-27TO CHEW ON:"Now when He said to them, 'I am He,' they drew back and fell to the ground." - John 18:5

Even in this darkest of moments, when one of Jesus' friends is in the act of betraying Him and another is about to deny Him, flashes of His God-essence come through. Otherwise what was it that caused these soldiers to "fall to the ground"?

"Man was not made to handle the electricity of God" someone once said (or words to that effect; I can't find the exact quote). Which makes what Jesus did when He surrendered Himself up to die for us all the more amazing. He could have immobilized that whole detachment long enough to get away. But instead, a little later when Peter did some damage with his sword in Jesus' defense, Jesus rebuked: "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?" - John 18:11.

In a few weeks we'll be celebrating Christmas and Jesus' birth. It's more evidence of how intentionally the God of the universe put Himself in human hands as He took on human flesh and surrendered Himself to the human condition. Let's let the enormity of what He did give depth and breadth to our praise, worship, and thanksgiving.PRAYER: Dear Jesus, Your life was not taken from You; You laid it down, and for me. Help me to comprehend just how amazing and wonderful this is. I thank You. Love, V. Amen.

MORE: And Can it Be?

The second stanza of the old hymn by Charles Wesley expresses today's thought so well:

"He left His Father's throne above
So free, so infinite His grace
Emptied Himself of all but love
And bled for Adam's sinful race
'Tis mercy all immense and free!
For O my God, it found out me!"

Hymn historian Robert Morgan believes this song may be the subject of Charles' diary entry on Tuesday May 23, 1738, written two days after his conversion on May 21st: "I began a hymn upon my conversion." The fourth stanza is certainly a vivid testimony of a changed life:

For author news, Bible & book tips...

Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter

@vnesdoly on Twitter

About Me

Destiny's Hands

Image Sources & Permissions

* Images labeled "RGB Stock Photos" are used in accordance with the RGB Stock License Agreement.
* Many unlabeled images are from Pixabay which requires no attribution.
* Permission to use Phillip Martin clipart for non-commercial purposes is HERE.

The Bible - one satisfying book!

"That you took a deep breath an hour ago won’t be much appreciated unless you’re still breathing. A great meal a month ago won’t do you much good if you haven’t eaten since. And delighting in God through taking in his word isn’t an annual, monthly, or even weekly event for the healthy Christian, but a daily rhythm." - David Mathis, "Study the Word for More Than Words"